Naturally Al Batt

An oriole tree

Naturally

It was a one-bird feeding frenzy. A gray catbird with a stubby tail fed, then did a jazz riff. Then it meowed like a cat before eating more. Why did it have a stubby tail? The bird didn’t want to talk about it, but I’m guessing it was a stress molt, during which it shed tail feathers to escape a predator. Feathers only re-grow rapidly when they’ve been pulled out. Tails are important but not critical. Tail-less birds can still fly, avoid danger and feed themselves, but might have trouble getting a table in an upscale restaurant. It’s better than losing a tail in the winter. Catbirds aren’t here then, but nobody wants a cold rear end. Cars driven by birds don’t have heated seats.

A reader described an oriole tree, one where it seemed as if every branch held a Baltimore oriole. The weather had likely postponed flights. Sometimes, we’re given splendid gifts wrapped in feathers.

I walked in the yard while using the Merlin app on my phone. It does a remarkable job of detecting bird sounds.

Flowers for hours. Salsify or goat's beard has a flower head similar to a dandelion but much larger. The seed head resembles a dandelion but, again, is much larger. The inflorescence opens early in the morning and often closes up by late afternoon.

Q&A

"Is the sex of a turtle determined by the temperature?” Scientists know that temperature determines sex in certain reptiles—alligators, lizards and turtles. In many turtles, warm temperatures during incubation create females and cold temperatures males.

“What preys on mallard nests, and what are the chances of an egg hatching?” Common nest predators include skunk, raccoon, coyote, fox, weasel, mink and some snake and large bird species. A nest success rate of 15% is a rule of thumb for maintaining a mallard population. Delta Waterfowl found that 90% of egg destruction is due to predation; the rest is because of weather events. Approximately 7.5% of eggs leave the nesting site as live ducks. The survival rate of those drakes is around 70% and about 60% in hen mallards. That leaves 70 drakes out of 100 and 60 hens after one year.

“What kills the most songbirds?“ Habitat loss is the most significant cause of declining bird populations. A U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service report found that cats are the top human-related cause of bird deaths, with collisions with buildings/glass a distant second.

“Can I move a robin’s nest if it’s in an inconvenient place?” The Migratory Bird Treaty Act (MBTA) protects most bird nests. This law says: “No person may take (kill), possess, import, export, transport, sell, purchase, barter, or offer for sale, any migratory bird, or the parts, nests, or eggs of such bird except as may be permitted under the terms of a valid permit.” It’s illegal to destroy a nest that has eggs or chicks in it or if young birds depend on the nest for survival. It’s unlawful for anyone to keep a nest unless they have a permit issued by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. If you move a robin's nest, the parents will probably abandon the nest because nest-site fidelity is based on the setting. If the nest is an inactive nest with no eggs or young, it can be moved, removed or destroyed. You may legally harass birds building nests, provided the birds aren't harmed. Once an egg is in the nest, it’s against the law to move or destroy it. Because of their invasive status, house sparrow, European starling and rock pigeon nests, eggs, chicks and adults aren’t protected by law.

“What should I do if a bird hits the window of my house?” If the window collision left a bleeding bird or a broken wing hanging limply, contact the Wildlife Rehabilitation of Minnesota (WRC) at 651-486-9453. If cats or harsh weather threaten, place the bird in a shoebox and put the box in your garage or unused room. Close the door and keep the room quiet to reduce stress on the bird. After an hour, take the shoebox outside and lift the lid. The bird will either fly away, have died from internal injuries, or have injuries that prevent it from flying.

“How long do baby wood ducks stay in the nest box?” They are precocial, meaning they can walk, run and swim a few hours after hatching and can leave the nest quickly. Ducklings generally leave the nest box early in the morning within 24 hours of hatching,

Thanks for stopping by

“Rivers do not drink their own water; trees do not eat their own fruit ... Living for others is a rule of nature. We are born to help each other.”—Pope Francis.

“In every walk with nature, one receives far more than he seeks."—John Muir.

Do good.

©Al Batt 2025

Tree swallows return to their nests earlier than other swallows due to their versatile diet, which allows them to winter farther north. They are agile aerialists who catch insects on the wing. Their bubbly chatter is cheering. This photo shows a tree swallow describing the size of the flying insect that got away to another swallow. Photo by Al Batt.